Big rise in people caught speeding on faster Welsh roads after 20mph introduced (original) (raw)

Speeding fines on faster roads have seen a significant increase this summer compared to the previous year, but road safety chiefs are not attributing this rise to the new 20mph limit. The 20mph default limit was introduced in Wales last September. Enforcement began gradually but has intensified since spring, with an increasing number of drivers caught speeding in 20mph zones.

North Wales Live submitted a Freedom of Information request to investigate how offences had changed across all roads in North Wales - comparing June, July and August this year with the same months in 2023. As might be expected when comparing the 20mph and 30mph roads to last year, there has been an increase in offences - with 11,366 in 2023 and 14,745 this summer, a rise of almost 30%. With the lower limit for drivers to adapt to, this is perhaps not surprising. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.

However, there has also been a surge in offences on faster roads this summer. For instance, there were 1,158 notices of prosecution last summer on 50mph roads but 5,970 over the same months in 2024 - a staggering 415% increase. In terms of 60mph and 70mph roads, there were 2,088 prosecution notices last summer and 3,773 this year, an 80% rise. The total number of prosecutions sent out was 15,591 over the three months last summer, compared with 25,696 in 2024, reports North Wales Live. This represents a 64% increase.

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The most significant alteration on the roads between these two periods was the introduction of 20mph zones, and North Wales Live has queried road safety chiefs as to whether the increased fines for faster speeds could be due to drivers speeding up on higher limit roads to make up for time lost on new 20mph stretches.

This comes after road safety data revealed that while there have been reductions in accidents, injuries, and fatalities on 20mph and 30mph roads since the new limit was introduced, there were more overall deaths on Welsh roads in the six months following implementation, compared to the same period a year earlier.

However, road bosses outlined other factors in enforcement that could account for these vastly different figures when it came to the numbers caught speeding. They attributed this partly to an increase in staffing levels. They explained that an expansion in the North Wales Go Safe team led to a rise in enforcement of all speed limits in June, July, and August 2024, compared to 2023. These were increases in enforcement hours of 46%, 60% and 86% (per month) respectively.

Go Safe also noted that a new back office system was launched in June 2024 which reduces the time required to process offences and allows individuals to view offences online after receiving a Notice of Intended Prosecution. They also mentioned improved capacity for Low Emission Zone cameras as another factor. These are average speed cameras on roads where the limit is reduced from 70mph to 50mph to lower vehicle emissions.

Last year the North Wales unit was lending a hand to South Wales due to staffing shortages at the South Wales Safety Camera Unit. Now, with a renewed focus on their own patch this year, there's been a marked uptick in fines issued. A Go Safe spokesperson indicated that current data doesn't support the notion that a 20mph speed limit leads to increased speeds on adjacent roads.

Clwyd West Senedd member Darren Millar called the figures "troubling" whilst acknowledging that other factors might be influencing the perceived spike in speeding incidents. He emphasised: "We need an urgent review of the data and comparisons with other regions to ensure that motorists in North Wales are not being unfairly penalised." Both the Welsh Government and North Wales Police have been approached for their input on the matter.

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